Legendary Broadway Hit: The Odd Couple

The Hawthorne Theatre and Theatre Tours International proudly presents Theatre at the Mill, Belfast's hit production of THE ODD COUPLE… from Thursday 18 July to Saturday 27 July.

The legendary Broadway hit ‘The Odd Couple’, written by Multi-Tony Award winning, Neil Simon, is legendary known amongst audiences for the double Oscar nominated film starring Walter Mathau and Jack Lemmon. It tells the story of two buddies who decide to room together to save money after their marriages fail. Slovenly, fun-loving Oscar invites pernikety clean-freak Felix to live with him and after a few weeks, the strain shows on them both… The result is simply comedy gold!

Our very own resident director (director/producer of the Olivier Award winning Morecambe) Guy Masterson will both direct and play "the Walter Mathau" part in the comedy classic: “I think in these difficult economic times people need a bit of a laugh and The Odd Couple is perfect fare! The play is even funnier than the film. Sometimes we have to wait for the laughter to die down before getting on with it!” Hardly surprising really, given that the play won 4 Tony Awards and ran on Broadway for nearly 1000 performances!

Masterson first directed this hugely successful production in Belfast in October 2012 featuring a cast of top Northern Irish professionals - including the inimitable Marty Maguire as Felix - and he has reassembled 6 of that original 8 for this one: "The show was so good, it was vital to get that cast back for this outing." Masterson says. "But here, we have also cast two wonderfully comedic local actors, Tony Boncza and Ronnie Toms to complete the team." Boncza is just completing an 18 month stint with Yes, Prime Minister and Bedford based Toms, last seen in Welwyn in The Sociable Plover (opposite Masterson) is about to head to the Edinburgh Festival with his new comedy, No Direction. Also in the cast are Comediennes Nuala McKeever and Claire Connor, Paddy Jenkins and David Calvitto, who was recently seen at The Hawthorne in The Event and Imperial Fizz.

This is actually the 3rd time Guy has directed The Odd Couple. The first starred Bill Bailey and Alan Davies in a cast entirely of well known stand-up comedians including Phil Nichol and Owen O'Neill in 2005. That production still holds the box office record at the Edinburgh Festival.

Was it daunting for Masterson to direct himself in such a seminal comic role as Oscar Madison? "I must admit that it was strange trying to be IN the scene with AND direct my fellow actors, but they were so good and so funny, it was actually a joy to do… and the result… well, to hear that audience laugh so hard at a comedy line that you've delivered is about as good as it gets. It's what it's all about. That's showbiz!"

Come and see what all the fuss is about… The Hawthorne's first fully produced professional production for many years and one of the funniest plays of all time with a perfect comedy cast. Simply unmissable…

For more information visit http://hawthornetheatre.co.uk/theoddcouple.html